Sunday, June 8, 2014

Roundup of last weeks elections in Nick Saban country

Alabamians seem to be happy with most of their politicians judging from last weeks primaries in the land of the "lord and savior Nick Saban". State Rep Jim McClendon defeated State Sen Jerry Fielding in the GOP primary for that senate seat thats based in the Talladega area. Fielding switched to the GOP in 2012 and its always hard to win over voters who four years ago voted against you in mass. So that result wasnt even all that shocking to see. State Rep Mac Buttram in Cullman was forced into a runoff against Good Hope Mayor Corey Harbinson in the GOP primary on July 15. This race will be interesting to watch in the coming weeks because both candidates are well liked. Buttram is a Methodist minister and Harbinson is one of the youngest Mayors in the country and one look at Good Hope shows that hes done a great job during his reign as mayor. Harbinson probably starts out in the runoff as the favorite but it won't shock me either if Buttram wins. The Sheriffs race in Cullman did surprise me a little bit with first term Sheriff Mike Blakely(R) being forced into a runoff next month against a little known Drug Task Force Agent who ran on a shoestring budget. Thats probably not good news for Blakely in next months runoff. Over in northeast Alabama for the senate seat that was held by longtime and very controversial senator Lowell Barron. Steve Livingston knocked off moderate State Rep Todd Greeson in the GOP primary so he's in all likelihood headed to the State Senate in January. The Mike Millican vs James Bonner race kind of surprised me with Millican winning that Hamilton based seat. As we look toward the fall unless something shocking happens the GOP will win every statewide office in Alabama this fall. Some of the races to keep an eye on in north Alabama this fall will be that senate seat thats vacant in the western part of Lauderdale County/Florence thats been held by democrats since the civil war. The GOP believes this will finally be the year they will capture that seat. Also the Sheriff's race in Colbert,Lauderdale and Limestone will be close as well. The GOP would give their spleens if they can capture those seats this fall. The seats in Lauderdale and Colbert are both open but the one in Limestone has been represented by Mike Blakely since 1982. But Limestone is drifting more and more to the right so its expected that the GOP nominee in that race will come very close to Sheriff Blakely this fall as they drift toward November. Also last weeks results in the Lauderdale/Florence area show that for the first time since the civil war more republicans voted in the GOP primary than Democrats voted in their primary. So thats a very good sign for the Lauderdale County/Florence GOP and their chances this November....